GUWAHATI: Ten cine entrepreneurs in Assam were on Wednesday provided government subsidy to establish new cinema halls and reopen or renovate closed and old cinema halls in the state.
The subsidy has been provided under a scheme implemented by Assam State Film (Finance and Development) Corporation Limited taken up by the state government for the first time.
Five entrepreneurs were provided cheques as subsidy for opening new cinema halls while another five entrepreneurs were given the same for reopening or renovating closed and old cinema halls.
“For new cinema halls, the government would bear a subsidy up to 25 per cent or Rs 75 lakh, for renovation of cinema halls there would be a government subsidy to the tune of Rs 25 lakh, while for the opening of cinema halls, the government subsidy would be Rs 50 lakh,” an official statement informed.
The state government released 40 per cent of the subsidy under the scheme, which is expected to infuse a fresh lease of life to cinema halls and their proprietors who have had to bear substantial losses with cinemas and multiplexes closed since March this year.
Speaking at the function organised for presentation of the subsidy, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the government has taken a decision to help cinema halls promote Assamese cinema along with mainstream films.
“The scheme will also help revamp the film industry and turn it into a potential industry in the state,” he said.
For opening new cinema halls, the beneficiaries selected are Jonaki Cinema Hall, Tezpur, Kelvin Cinema Hall, Guwahati, Zelimax, Bongaigaon, Chaya Cinema Hall, Tangla and the P.G. Enterprise-promoted cinema hall at Nagaon Bypass.
For reopening or renovating closed and old cinema halls, the beneficiaries selected are Indrapuri Cinema Hall, Barpeta, Anuradha Cine Complex, Guwahati, Nakshatra Cinema Hall, Lakhimpur, Mayapuri Cinema Hall, Bongaigaon and Nazira Film Cooperative Societies, Nazira.
